Craftside

How to make a puffy sleeve from the beautiful book Cloth Doll Artistry by Barbara Willis

Cloth Doll Artistry
Design and Costuming Techniques for Flat and Fully Sculpted Figures
By
Barbara Willis

In this unique and beautiful book, beloved doll-designer
Barbara Willis guides readers through various approaches
to doll design and basic and advanced construction
techniques. Through the creation of three complete step by-
step projects, readers will develop color boards, learn
to use vintage images, create both two-dimensional and
three-dimensional cloth dolls, learn sophisticated costuming
techniques, and gain knowledge of elaborate soft sculpting.
A gallery shares the inspirational work of several well known
doll artists who have created their own versions of
each project. Complete patterns and templates are included.

Barbara Willis (Mountain View, CA) has been creating
dolls and teaching nationally and internationally
for over 30 years. She has been associated with the
quilting industry, fiber guilds, embroidery guilds
and clubs, International Quilt Market, The Knitting
and Stitching Show (UK) doll clubs, and workshop
events for all of her career. She has been featured
and published in many magazines including Sew
Beautiful, Cloth Dolls and Animals, Dolls Bears and
Collectibles, Better Homes and Gardens, Dolls and
many others over her career.

 

I never knew that this type of sleeve was so easy to make. I love them and now I will try to make one (but probably for me!)

If you liked this and want a free little dress template pop back to this post. Or if you want directions on how to make all of this wonderful doll grab yourself a copy of Cloth Doll Artistry and you are on your way!

OK it's Friday and I have an easy and quick question, so everybody answer so you are entered to win a cool free book:

Do you make a single project that takes a long time and is filled with detail or do you do lots of "quickies" and do you follow it out of a book or you think it up on your own?

I generally have a cross stitch going at all times but LOVE doing lots of "quickies"

Free Silhouette dress Pattern from the new book: Cloth Doll Artistry

This book is so beautiful and inspiring, I only made it to page 10 before I had to stop and make something! I did make it past page 10 so I can testify that it is packed full of eye candy and wonderful doll making how-to's.

Cloth Doll Artistry
Design and Costuming Techniques for Flat and Fully Sculpted Figures
By
Barbara Willis

In this unique and beautiful book, beloved doll-designer
Barbara Willis guides readers through various approaches
to doll design and basic and advanced construction
techniques. Through the creation of three complete step by-
step projects, readers will develop color boards, learn
to use vintage images, create both two-dimensional and
three-dimensional cloth dolls, learn sophisticated costuming
techniques, and gain knowledge of elaborate soft sculpting.
A gallery shares the inspirational work of several well known
doll artists who have created their own versions of
each project. Complete patterns and templates are included.

Barbara Willis (Mountain View, CA) has been creating
dolls and teaching nationally and internationally
for over 30 years. She has been associated with the
quilting industry, fiber guilds, embroidery guilds
and clubs, International Quilt Market, The Knitting
and Stitching Show (UK) doll clubs, and workshop
events for all of her career. She has been featured
and published in many magazines including Sew
Beautiful, Cloth Dolls and Animals, Dolls Bears and
Collectibles, Better Homes and Gardens, Dolls and
many others over her career.

This is page 10, it talks about how to choose fabric for doll making.

Click on the image to enlarge so you can read about the first steps in choosing fabrics, layering trim and color combinations.

I loved this silhouette so much I decided to make a stencil of it and why not share it with you all!

Cloth Doll Artistry does include a whole bunch more patterns.

 

This is what I did with my stencil:

First I cut out the center part. I wanted to make a stencil because I knew it would be important to choose exactly where the print of the fabric was going to be.

I then pressed iron-on adhesive to the back side of the fabric.

Then I laid my stencil on the fabric and angsted over where to cut, not really but a little. I traced the silhouette with a pencil and then cut each dress out.

 

Here they are. I love them, I'm not sure what I am going to do with them but I think they are so cute!

I will be making more for sure.

Today's question:

What are you crafting for Mother's day?

I am completely stumped.

As a thanks for sharing you'll be entered to win a free book!

Beautiful Dolls- Both living and handcrafted

Creative Cloth Explorations

Adventures with Fairy-Inspired Fiber Art

By

Patti Medaris Culea

Available this fall!

This book is the fifth installment on making creative cloth fiber arts from popular art doll designer, fiber artist, and workshop instructor Patti Culea, following Creative Cloth Doll Making, Creative Cloth Doll Faces, Creative Cloth Doll Couture, and Creative Cloth Doll Beading. Readers will learn to make flat figures, fabric books, and a fairy-style fan.

This book builds on the previous four by delving into how to make fun and elaborate-looking projects using similar materials for unique projects and book structures. Culea covers the basics and provides new techniques–such as using Shiva paint sticks and stencils, working with silk rods and waste, and using lace and trims–while teaching you to how create a flat-figure doll, a memory journal with embellished cloth pages, and a beautiful fan. Professional tips, ideas for embellishments, cutting-edge techniques, and complete patterns for all the projects are included.

Patti Medaris Culea studied art in Los Angeles and Japan and began as a painter and portrait artist. She has a full-line of cloth doll patterns and her work has appeared in books, magazines, and galleries. She is the author of Creative Cloth Doll Making, Creative Cloth Doll Faces, Creative Cloth Doll Couture , and Creative Cloth Doll Beading.

Another bit of news to come:

Mary Ann Hall and Barbara Willis 

Barbara Willis’s new book is Cloth Doll Artistry: Design and Costuming Techniques for Flat and Fully Sculpted Figures

Available next spring!

Readers will learn to design by creating color boards using fabric swatches and trims, they will create a flat doll starting with a 2D image for the bodice, and then dress her with a lovely skirt and embellishments, they will create a basic cloth doll, and then finally create an elaborate doll sculpted face. Barbara has created lovely projects—her dolls have old world sophistication, a fresh Victorian lovliness—and a dash of whimsy.

Pop on over to Barbra's website to get a taste of her magic.

These pictures are thanks to Mary Ann Hall, Executive Editor, Aquisitions, Rockport Publishers/Quarry Books, Quayside Publishing Group.

Patti Culea and of course a beautiful doll! 

On Friday, May 16th, Mary Ann drove out to the lovely Aurora Inn, where the Doll Gatherers Doll Club held their annual workshop event. She is always happy to see the lovely smile of one of our favorite Quarry authors Patti Medaris Culea.

And Mary Ann got to meet in person for the first time, Barbara Willis, who she recently has been working with on her exciting new book due out next Spring—both Patti and Barbara were teaching at the event, along with great doll maker Elinor Peace Bailey and Karen Shifton, who makes some extremely charming frogs, among other things.  

Left to right in this group of living dolls is Mary Ann Hall, Patti Culea, Barbara Willis, and Li Hertzi.

This is a group photo of the instructor’s dolls (displayed cleverly with flower-foam cake) that were being taught at the event.

This doll is by Barbara Willis. What a beauty!

Mary Ann said, "I loved seeing all the beautiful, diverse, and interesting work by the club members that were on display. Lots of talent here in the Midwest."

 

She also convinced Art Doll Adventures author, Li Hertzi (also known as “her new best friend”) to meet her there. Li has recently moved from Southern CA to North Canton OH, where her folks reside, and she knows these all these fellow artists well. While Patti and Barbara were fairly tied up visiting with their students and manning their tables, Li and Mary Ann got to cozy up to the bar with their tea and discover other appreciations that they share (old punk rock, older bluegrass, even older swing, Dortmunder Gold, botanical illustration...the list goes on).

Mary Ann said, "Li is a real talent, and a joy to know."

I hope you have enjoyed seeing a bit inside the Doll Gatherers Doll Club annual workshop event and a sneak peek at two new titles coming from Quayside Publishing Group. Click here to see more upcoming titles on other subjects!

To see a couple of fun Dolls from inside Art Doll Adventures and Creative Cloth Doll Couture click here.